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The newest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.

The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.

That makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.

You do receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.

This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location

Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.

Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.

Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.

After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.

Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.

A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.

Cost

The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Conclusion

The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.

Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.

This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.